


Swimming

by Controlledbyanarmyofmyownmaking



Category: The Durrells (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 23:07:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19029808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Controlledbyanarmyofmyownmaking/pseuds/Controlledbyanarmyofmyownmaking
Summary: Spiros has a revelation while watching Louisa and her children.





	Swimming

Spiros turned the steering wheel, gliding onto the drive of the villa where he felt so at home.  Coming to a stop near the back patio he hit the horn, alerting the matriarch of his favorite English family that he had arrived.

“Mrs. Durrells,” he called out. “Your missing child!”  

He knew the bright smile that crossed her face was more aimed at Larry than him, but he couldn't stop the burst of happiness that shot through him at the sight. To give them space, he wandered over to the stone wall separating the patio from the drop into the sea, ignoring Lugaretzia's knowing eyes.

“Your prodigal returns,” Larry told her, rounding the back of the car. “It was time to come home.” He leaned in for a hug.

"Oh, Larry, it's been," Louisa hesitated. "It's been actually rather easy without you being here."

He watched them, smiling to himself at Louisa's blunt words, glad he was the one to bring Larry back home to his mother.  Larry ran to the wall and peered over. “Wait for me!” he yelled to his siblings splashing in the water and then jogged off to join them.

Spiros smiled indulgently at the eldest Durrell, this man-child who longed for independence but couldn't handle it when it was given to him.  He then turned his attention to Louisa, who stood in front of him looking worried.

“How's your head?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Ah, the doctor says that I can take it off,” he said, gesturing to the bandage wrapped around his forehead. “But I feel like a pirate.”

The words drew a small laugh out of the woman and his lips turned up in response.  His eyes dropped to the robe that wrapped around her body. When she noticed him looking she fumbled nervously with the belt, checking if the knot was securely tied. “Yeah, I'm not going to swim,” she stated firmly with a shake of her head.  “I'm not sure that this is the right style for me.”

His mouth went dry as the sudden image of her frolicking in the sea came to mind. Leaning towards her, he said, “but believe me when I say you would look good swimming in a floppy sack.” He meant the words, but smiled to pass it off as a teasing statement.

Her fingers, still worrying at the knot, stilled for just a moment as her eyes darted up to meet his then she ducked her head and laughed, turning from him to join her children.  He watched her go, then looked up at the house, recalling bringing her to it for the first time, unable and unwilling to imagine a scenario where he hadn't run into them on that dusty road leading away from the dock.

The sounds of her children drew his attention.  He should unpack Larry's belongings from his car and leave.  There were other customers, other duties he could be- should be- attending to, a family of his own that demanded his time.  But he could no sooner pull himself away from this family than a moth could pass by a flame. And so, at a slower pace he trailed after Louisa, descending the steps in the sea wall and coming out on the rocky, narrow shore. Roger sat by the piles of discarded clothing, keeping intent watch over his master.  Spiros patted the dog's head in greeting as he passed by. The young people splashing in the water quieted as they took notice of their mother, who had yanked a hat out of the large pocket in her robe and placed it over her hair. She fumbled with the woven belt, glancing at him over her shoulder, with an uncharisterically nervous look.  He smiled and nodded, urging her on. Steely resolve crossed her face, she squared her shoulders and shrugged the robe off, dropping it onto the pebbles behind her to the rising cheers of her children.

“The height of fashion in 1910!” crowed Larry, bringing another round of laughter.

With another glance his way she stepped gingerly into the water, squealing when the unexpected cold hit her ankles.  She stumbled just the slightest and he instinctively moved forward to catch her if she were to fall. The children called her and she moved towards them. “It looks so much warmer,” she mumbled in dismay, Gerry surging out of the deeper waters to grab her hand, tugging her further in. For a second the water soaking the back of her swimming costume highlighted her backside and legs, which he couldn’t help but notice were very shapely, and then she sunk beneath the surface, the ridiculous hat falling from her head.  She splashed around and looked back at him. “Why didn’t I do this before?” she laughed.

Her joy was infectious and he laughed along with her, enjoying the sight of her playfulness.  She stood to splash the boys, who were using her hat as the object in a game of catch, then threw her arms up and flopped backwards in the sea. Catching his eye she gave him a tiny wave. Her face was flushed with sunshine and happiness and suddenly he felt everything else fall away, focusing on just her, this woman who had quickly become such an integral part of his life in the short time she had been in it.  The truth was as simple as it was startling - he loved her. The smile slipped from his face for a heartbeat before being replaced with a bigger one. _He loved her_!  He felt giddy, he couldn’t remember ever feeling this way.  A prick of conscience reminded him he was married, but even that couldn’t put a stop to the euphoria that flooded his being.  He loved her, and he loved these odd, unique children of hers, who never failed to surprise him. While he wished he was free to shout the news from the highest hilltop, he knew that was impossible.  He would love her from afar, he determined, and do everything in his power to make her happy.

Eventually the children tired of the water and as quickly as they had jumped in, they exited en masse, running across the shore with only the slightest pause to snatch their belongings, already chatting excitedly about what they planned to do next.  Abandoned, Louisa arose from the waters looking like a goddess of the sea. He forced himself to breathe, resisting the urge to declare his love for her right there on the spot. Out of habit his hands reached for his hat, dismayed to recall leaving it at his house when he found it uncomfortably tight to wear with the bandage.  Instead he reached down and grabbed her robe, clutching it tightly, running his thumbs along the soft material. Louisa laughed as she picked her way over the slippery rocks of the sea floor, reaching out a hand that he eagerly clasped to steady herself.

“That was so fun!” she exclaimed, trying to smooth her wet and disheveled hair with her free hand. “I must look a fright.” Once on more solid ground she released his hand, bending to pick up her hat one of the boys had dropped in their rush past.

Spiros opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out.  He was glad her attention was focused on wringing the excess water from her swimming costume and not on him.  He tried again. “No,” the single word came out in a hoarse whisper. She glanced up at him, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.  He forced a smile and held her robe up, pulling his hands away before they could no longer resist the temptation to rest on her shoulders.  

“Thank you,” she smiled, still rosy cheeked from exertion.  He thought she had never looked more beautiful. They made their way up the steps and onto the patio.

“I haven’t said how bad I feel.” he began, ducking under a low hanging tree branch. “The cricket was a beautiful idea and then I -”

“Oh it’s fine,” she responded. “Really, Spiros.”

“You’re right,” he came to a stop and she turned towards him.  “We’re all together in this world. The Greeks, English, even the Turks. Whether you are from Corfu, Bournemouth, Chicago, or the Indian Ocean like me and my fellow pirates.”  He touched his fingers to his head, causing her to chuckle slightly. She turned her gaze to the side garden, where the children were organizing themselves into a haphazard game of cricket.  The sun illuminated her hair and his mind drew a blank, losing his train of thought. “You’re very special to me.” The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Her eyes snapped back to his, a look of shock crossing her features as she made sense of the words. He didn’t expect a response, knew it was unfair of him to drop this on her, so forced himself to leave, although his eyes demanded one last look at her face before his feet complied.  As he walked to the car he smiled, his earlier declaration to keep this news to himself forgotten in the relief of letting her know how important she was to him. The most difficult part was not looking back to her, afraid of what he would see in her face. At the moment he was unsure if it would be worse to see rejection there or a reflection of his own feelings.  So he resolutely reversed the car and then drove away from her house, from this woman he loved.

Once on the road he turned without conscious thought towards the sea.  The tires carried him over the bumpy road and his hands moved the wheel by memory, unable to resist the draw towards his favorite overlook.  He slowed to a stop on the cliff, shutting off the engine. Again, he reached for his hat, silently cursing when his finger reached the bandage instead.  He pulled it off, then held it in his hands, staring with bleak eyes at the white cloth.

His wife had not understood his drive to lead the cricket competition, and he was unable to explain his reasoning.  Now he knew why. _He loved Louisa._ A vision of her with Hugh crossed his mind.  He groaned, the bandage crumpling to a ball in his fist.  He knew he had no right to her, but that didn’t stop the surge of jealousy at the thought of the pretentious Englishman winning Louisa.  Hugh wasn't right for her nor did he deserve her. Spiros also suspected he put up with the children because he wanted their mother, not because he held any affection for them.  

He threw open the door to the car and stood, slamming it behind him with greater force than necessary.  The sun dipping into the water reminded him it was past time for him to be home. He dreaded facing the irritated words that were sure to greet him there, along with questions of why he didn’t bring home coins.  But Larry had no money, and he couldn’t have left him stranded in town. Plus, not that he could explain it to his wife, but he had needed to talk to Louisa, to apologize for the outcome of the cricket match, and to see how she fared after that son of bitch Hugh kissed another woman right in front of her.  Anger propelled him to pick up a rock and fling it far into the sea, followed by another, then another. The dull throb in his temple turned into a stabbing pain that caused him to wince and he collapsed on the log, spent. He couldn’t even begin to sort out his thoughts where Louisa was concerned. He only knew he loved her...and that nothing could ever come of those feelings.  

Taking one last look at the horizon he sighed, then stood up and walked back to the car, where he tried to force his mind off Louisa.  Starting the car he then backed onto the road, pushing aside the longing of his heart to return to the woman he was married to and his responsibilities to her and their children.


End file.
